Chibi Aoshi 3: Love Stoned
by blue c 84
Summary: Chibi Aoshi tries a third time to get Aoshi to confess his feelings to Misao one way or the other-- complete!
1. Chapter 1

Chibi Aoshi 3: Love Stoned

Scene 1: Popping in

Somewhere in the Matrix...

Chibi Aoshi breathed in just like it said in his How to Meditate self help scroll. He was trying to understand why the Aoshi liked hiding himself in the temple doing this. The paper said it was suppose to " help a person become more focused and relaxed." He let out a grim smile. Focused and relaxed? The monks might as well have said 'boring and lifeless'.

"Aoshiiii!" A distressed Chibi Kenshin tugged on the little ninja's sleeve.

"Nooooo." He replied in a chanting sort of tone before the Kamiya- kashin dojo slave could continue on.

"But Soujiro was so fast- he stole my sword." Chibi Kenshin was still tugging on Aoshi's sleeve even when his eyes had started to water. " And now..." He sniffed. "And now Shishio- he's threatening to burn down my... my.. LAUNDRY!" He moaned.

"La-di-daaaaaaaah." He chanted out. Chibi Aoshi smirked. He was probably one of the few people around that could appreciate Shishio's sense of humour.

"Please?" Kenshin begged.

"Not my probleeeeem." He continued chanting.

Kenshin gave the okashira's sleeve a good tug. "I can make it your problem." His normally wide purple eyes suddenly turned small and golden. His pitiful expression turned devilish while he lowered his gaze slightly. "You didn't think Kaoru- dono would ever go for a tiny, old, wanderer in PINK without a little help now did you?"

The ninja immediately stood up from his sitting position and turned to the samurai. "So the mummy's giving you trouble eh? Let's go." He said. And with a flourish of his small trench coat, the pair disappeared from that part of the Matrix.  
-

In Kyoto...

The rain had just stopped a few moments before. The world was glistening in all its glory as Shinomori Aoshi looked out the window to watch a certain young ninja girl make her way back to the Aoiya while playing a game with the puddles of water. It was raining and yet she brought the tea. She always brought the tea. It was amazing.

"Those flashing lights come from everywhere... where... where..." Shinomori Aoshi sighed as sunlight reflected off the puddles of water.

"The way they hit her you just stop and stare... stare.. stare.." It was then that Aoshi was snapped out of his reverie. His thoughts do not, DO NOT, echo. More importantly, he does not have a falsetto, at least, not after puberty. Suddenly, a chill went down his spine. He felt another presence in the room. Something evil. He didn't want to do it but he knew he had to. Reluctantly, he turned his gaze away from Misao and the shining world to where he was previously before the girl left.

And there was his worst fear sitting on his spot- meditating. "She's got you love stoned.. stoned... stoned." the little ninja chanted. Aoshi paled considerably. "I think you're love stoned...stoned... stoned..." The chibi continued after taking a breath. "Don't think she knows... I don't think she knows... knows... knows.."

Aoshi clenched his jaw. "Oh. Kami- sama. No." He emphasized each word as he mumbled under his breath.


	2. Chapter 2

Chibi Aoshi 3: Love Stoned

"What are you doing here?" Aoshi folded his arms across his chest. He leaned against the wall looking like his normal stoic self. But in truth, the shock of seeing his smaller version has made him search for something to keep him from falling flat on the floor.

The chibi zoomed across the space in between them to peer out of the window. He raised his hand to block out the glare of the sun. In mere seconds, he had spotted what had mesmerized the former okashira- Misao and the world after a rain shower. Chibi Aoshi smirked and turned to face the tall man. "You know..." he said making a small umbrella appear out of nowhere and started dancing. "You can be her umbrella." He sang.

The 'boring' man just stared blankly at the chibi. "What are you doing here?"

"- ella, ella, ella. Eh? eh? eh?" The chibi twirled as he continued singing.

Aoshi had had enough. "Stop echoing!" He ordered placing one hand on top of the chibi to get him to stay still.

Chibi Aoshi's umbrella popped out of sight just as he swatted the hand away. "I'm not the one "echoing"." He replied slightly annoyed his song and dance number had been cut short and emphasizing his point with motioned quotation marks. "You're the one repeating yourself." He grinned.

Aoshi would've looked flabbergasted- if he were capable of looking anything else besides from unamused. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"Aha! See?" Chibi Aoshi pointed out.

The okashira kept silent but gave the floating ninja his well practiced death glare in reply.

The chibi smiled sweetly avoiding eye contact. "I just wanted to have some of Misao's tea." He moved to reveal the tea set already prepared and a chibi Kenshin smiling patiently at the the two. "I even brought Kenshin to make the tea."

"Ohayo!" Chibi Kenshin greeted.

"Now, you wouldn't want to delay this whole thing. The tea might get cold." The chibi okashira patted his counterpart's shoulder. "Libations please, Batty." He said to the small red head samurai.

Chibi Kenshin tilted his head to one side and smiled. "Haiiiii." He replied.

Aoshi nodded back cautiously as he made his way to the tea. He was a bit thirsty. It was tea. He likes tea. It was tea made by chibi Kenshin. Rephrase. It was tea made by A "Kenshin" which, more importantly, means one thing: It was tea NOT made by chibi Aoshi.

Chibi Kenshin poured and offered the okashira a cup of steaming hot tea. Aoshi looked at the tea. It looked normal enough. It wasn't any other color beyond green which is what green tea was suppose to look like. He raised the cup to take a whiff of the steam. It smelled like green tea. He took a tentative sip and decided it tasted like tea so he decided to drink some more. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe the chibi just came to give him some tea as some sort of a peace offering.

Then, he saw the battousai's golden eyes for less than a second as he lowered his cup. He glared at the small samurai who returned it with his own giant purple-eyed cheerful gaze. The peaceful countenance didn't reassure him. He was sure there was something wrong. If he had anything in his life, it was control. But right at that time, he had was slowly losing control of his facial expression.

Try as he might, he couldn't stop his frown turning upside down.

Horror of horrors.

Chibi Aoshi nudged Kenshin as he watched the odd transformation. "What exactly did you give him?" He whispered keeping his sight transfixed on Aoshi.

"Remember that time I started wandering around after Tomoe-dono died?" Chibi Kenshin said. "Well, I took my troubles down to Madame Rue's. You know that gypsy with the gold capped tooth? She had a shop down at thirty fourth and Pine selling little bottles of love potion number nine." He answered truthfully.

"WHAT?"  
-


	3. Chapter 3

Chibi Aoshi 3: Love Stoned part 3

Aoshi was panicked and he couldn't hide it. He rushed out of the temple to get away from the evil tea and the demented chibis. He hadn't taken the whole pot of tea-- just a cup. He deduced that there couldn't be that much of the "poison" in his system. Besides, there was a saying. When there's a will, there's a way. Wasn't that the saying? Well, he definitely has an iron clad will. If he tried hard enough, he could will himself to his stoic self.

He reached the doors to the Aoiya and took a deep breath to calm down. It would be shameful to enter in a state of disarray. Besides, it couldn't be that bad. He just has to will himself to the land of grumpy and keep his head down. He still felt a little funny when he entered the restaurant. It was lunch time. The place was packed with people, as usual. Normally he would go pass everyone without a fleeting notice and bee line for the stairs.He almost made it to the stairs when Okon failed to move away at the foot of his stairway to freedom. In fact, she just stood there, staring at the much taller man. Aoshi felt a facial muscle move. "Okon." He greeted with a nod hoping she would take even a small side step so he could pass.

"Aoshi- sama?" Okon greeted tentatively tilting her head to one side. But she didn't move. Instead, she raised her hand to one side and started to call on someone else. "Omasu, you have to see this." She said a bit too calmly even for Okon standards.

Omasu smiled apologetically to her customers and rushed to the shocked Okon. "Yes dear?" She asked as she came near to her friend. The she noticed Okon pointing at Aoshi- sama. She turned her head and bowed slightly before anything else. This was Aoshi they were talking about. Some level of courtesy was always protocol. But when she raised her her gaze, she saw why exactly Okon had been rendered speechless.

Aoshi- sama was smiling. With teeth!

Okon and Omasu were reduced to giggles. They hardly even seen him crack a smile. But here was their "former" okashira looking like he's seen the ghost of Kami- sama in the temple.

Aoshi was confused until he saw his reflection off a circular pendant hanging on Okon's neck. It took him a second to realize that the grinning man in the locket was him.

"Misao- chan should be here to see this." Okon said still not moving from where she stood. Her giggles were subsiding until she heard Omasu laugh harder.

"Isn't that cute?" Omasu said. "Look Okon, at the mention of Misao- chan, he blushed!"

Aoshi knew they were telling the truth. He could usually stop anything that could ruin his stern facade. But today just wasn't his day. He sighed-- not knowing how that would look like to the two ladies. Fortunately for him, customers were starting to call out and demand for their favorite waitresses. Omasu in particular has been gone from the table she was serving long enough. "Go on, go on." He said hoping he sounded like his stoic self. "Go on. Right back what is wrong and move along."

The two ladies nodded and gave their attention back to the restaurant. "Wait 'til Misao- chan hears about this." He heard Omasu say before the pair disappeared into the lunchtime crowd.

Chibi Aoshi slurped some noodles watching the scene beside the cat of fortune statuette by the register. "What do you know, Batty. You might just be right about this.He looks like he's enjoying himself."

Chibi Kenshin just nodded happily and poured tea for the both of them.

--

Lock himself inside his room and never, NEVER, come out. Never.

That was Aoshi's new plan when he reached the second floor of the building. The "Willing" plan did not hammer out as well as he had thought. There seems to be some disconnect with his brain and everything else. Not only did he start smiling, grinning and generally being pleasant, he has also been talkative. He had started speaking more words beyond his self imposed limit of "Aa" or "Hai" for agreement, "No" for disagreement, and "Ahou" for stupidity and the very seldom "Arigato" for gratitude. He had decided long ago that one word answers were fitting for everyday life-- if he even needed to talk at all. This was the tea's fault. Now, his former air of mystery has been reduced to speaking the blatant truth in descriptive details. He might as well say goodbye to the Okashira- image he's built since he was sixteen.

He was almost there-- just a few rooms to pass until he could slide his door open, enter, bolt it shut and never come up. Well, at least until he didn't look like a part of Hannya's mask and sound like... like...

Misao.

Chibi Aoshi grinned. "You mean Misao-miiiine." He said as he floated by in front of him donning angel wings, a halo and harp.

Aoshi stopped in his tracks and sighed inwardly as he suddenly felt warm and fuzzy. The blushing. The blushing was the worst. Everytime anyone mentioned Misao, he turns scarlet. He was starting to regret living in the Aoiya. The place was always talking about the girl's misadventures. He should just move to the temple.

He was just about to continue on his trek to his room when a door to his left slid open revealing a drowsy Okina. By the looks of it, the old man just got out of bed. Aoshi spotted a few bottles of sake inside his room. The old man obviously still knew how to party. Aoshi went around the old man heading quickly to his own room.

All in vain. Aoshi had managed to escape just until the door before his when Okina called for him. "Aoshi, I woke up to the sounds of Okon and Omasu telling everyone downstairs that there's something unnatural with you. Are you ok?" He asked drowsily.

And here it was again-- the blushing. Aoshi didn't turn. "Well," He answered tentatively, "I'm okay, I'm okay I'm okay now."

"You sure?" Okina asked again while yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"You really need to listen to me because I'm telling the truth. I'm okay. Trust me." Aoshi replied quickly hoping Okina hadn't noticed how chatty he had become overnight.

Okina gave the man's back a lazy smile. "Good. Can you find Misao in the market then? I said that I'd go with her but I overslept. I don't want her buying more sweets."

Chibi Kenshin watched Aoshi silently jumped off the second floor banister and landed deftly on garden below. "Uh oh." The small samurai said.

"Uh-Oh isn't good." Chibi Aoshi took the red head by the shoulders to face him. "What do you mean by uh oh?"

Chibi Kenshin's eyes wandered around avoiding the okashira's suspicious gaze. "It's starting to wear off." He replied looking at his thumbs.

"What?"

It was that second when Okina's head snapped up in time to watch the ninja leave the premises. "Did I just have an actual conversation with Aoshi Shinomori?!" He whispered to himself. There was a suspicious flash in his eyes. "A changed man! He has been enlightened by Kami- sama! This calls for a party. Ohohohoho!" He said as he shuffled happily down to the restaurant.

Chibi Kenshin nodded. "He only took a cup whilst Kaoru- dono took the whole pot of soup." He smiled at the memory of the circumstances of their first meeting.

Chibi Aoshi paled. "Maybe it's time to meditate." He said slowly. He crossed his legs to assume the lotus position.

Chibi Kenshin joined him. "Oh Kami- sama help us." They both chanted.


	4. Chapter 4

Chibi Aoshi 3 pt. 4 

A warm fuzzy... what was that creature again?

Aoshi tilted his head to one side just looking at Misao buying sweets from a stall vendor-- just like Okina told her not to do. She energetically gave the man a pleading look with those wide orbs and a pout. Eventually, the vendor gave in. In fact, who wouldn't give in? Aoshi just a glimpse of it and his heart started pounding feeling like his iciness was being tugged forward towards her warmth. So he commanded himself to stop this animal magnetism the only way he could. He stopped walking.

Speaking of animals, he finally remembered what Misao had just looked like then-- A warm fuzzy weasel. Wasn't that why that Mibu wolf had called her Weasel girl?

The Okashira smirked. Right. A weasel. If he keeps thinking like this, there might be a chance he could go through the rest of the day without feeling like he had to confess like a love sick puppy. Misao is a weasel. Misao is a weasel. That was the new mantra. With this thought, he could block everything out and the only thing that would be left on him is a smirk. He could stand being seen with a smirk on his face. They were smiles of the cold and devious variety.

Just then, two chibis decided to pop on the shoulder of the tall man. Chibi Aoshi nodded at Chibi Kenshin. He hated this song but desperate times called for desperate measures. When the crab hears of this he would never- NEVER- live it down. He counted down the tune with his fingers. Three... two... one...

Aoshi stopped just after one step forward. Oddly enough, he could hear percussions coming from somewhere. Then stringed instruments started playing. He took a deep breath trying to find where the music was coming from because now, he was sure there was a flute playing. But nobody in the market even stopped to listen. It was like they did not hear the suggestive orchestra like music that was filling the air around him. He can't be the only one who hears it.

" Yes, you want her Look at her, you know you do" He heard some one sing in his left ear.

"It's possible she wants you, too. There is one way to ask her" He heard a voice sing in his right ear.

Ask her? Ask her what?? Aoshi stared at the Misao taking the bag of candies from the man and he immediately rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He could have sworn just then that the market around her just faded away into... bubbles rising to the heavens. He blinked a few more times and the bubbles were gone. Yes. He decided he was hallucinating. Maybe there was some post traumatic thing happening in his head. He had hit his head a few more times than a normal man should because of ninja training.

"It don't take a word" The song echoed on his left.

No words? Really?

"Not a single word" Replied his right ear.

Not one word? Well, that was an interesting proposition. Aoshi wondered how a confession like that could be done? Confessions after all, normally needed gift of speech. Talking was required. The word "Aa" and "Hai" just didn't cut it.

"Go on and kiss the girl" The two voices suggested blending in perfect harmony.

Aoshi's jaw dropped at the suggestion. What?! But she's... she's... mantra. What was the new mantra? He knew he made a new mantra that had an animal in it. There was even a previous thought about Saitoh.

A WEASEL! That's it. She's a weasel girl. And suddenly, he felt his the music come to a screeching halt. The noise of the market took over. For the first time that day, he felt... well, he didn't know how he felt. But he can distinctively imagine a picture of a cute weasel in his head. He saw Misao bounce towards him waving excitedly over the crowd. Aoshi paled. There was no escape now.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao greeted stopping right in front of him with a basket full of fruits and veggies hanging from her arm. "Look! I got some sweets for real cheap." She showed him the bag while he absently took the basket from her.

Aoshi gulped. This was it. The time of revelation. He cleared his throat looking down at the beaming girl. "Aa." He replied. Inwardly, though, he was jumping for joy. He was in full control of his own self again! He made a mental note he never thought he'd ever make as they made their way back to the Aoiya with Misao chattering away about her day. One day, he will have to thank Saitoh for that weasel comment.

Chibi Aoshi watched the pair fade into the market crowd before glaring at the Chibi Battousai. Kenshin just gave him a sheepish grin which made the small okashira's blood boil. He pointed a finger at the red head. "You're laundry is mine!" He exclaimed before popping out of the world.

"But but but... Aoshi! It's not my fault!" Chibi Kenshin called after him.

--The end--

Note: Foiled by animal comparisons! Dangnabit Saitoh Hajime!


End file.
